The Red Planet

Chapter 7

At last we had finished enough hours of community service to pardon us of our crimes and allow us to go home. Andrew and I both felt bittersweet about the whole thing. We were excited to finally go home, but we knew we were also going to miss Mars and the life we had there. We had been on Mars for so long that it almost began to feel like a second home for us. We knew we were especially going to miss Xena and Miss Prudy. We couldn't have gotten through everything without them.

When I woke up that morning, I had an awful sense of dread. Time flew by too quickly and I wished for just one more day to admire the beautiful red landscape of the planet. I took a look around the room I had stayed in the past few weeks I had been on Mars. I knew I was going to miss it. All of it. From the remote control for the door to the glass dome ceiling I had grown accustomed to seeing every night before bed. I knew the memories we made would stick with us forever. The sense of awe and wonder that overtook us as we experienced and learned things we never had before, things that were unforgettable.

I slowly made my way down the stairs and sat at the dinner table. Miss Prudy already had breakfast laid out for us and was waiting for us at the table. There was a morning pie for Andrew and smoked mushroom and garlic yogurt for me. I peeled back the seal and began to eat my yogurt. It tasted awful but it was the only thing I could eat. Andrew came downstairs shortly after I did and sat next to me.

"Happy forenoon Andrew and Quinn." She said.

"Happy forenoon." We both said.

While we were eating, Miss Prudy asked if we had everything ready to go. We told her that we still needed to pack and gather up our things.

After that, we didn't really say much. I think we were all dreading what would happen later on that day.

Once we finished eating, we both finished packing and gathering our things, just in time for the guards to arrive. Before we left, the guards allowed us to give Miss Prudy a hug and thank her for everything that she did for us.

Miss Prudy hugged us tight and said, "You boys take care. Alright?"

"We will." Andrew said.

Her eyes were glassy with tears when she pulled away. Miss Prudy took off her glasses, wiped away her tears quickly, then put them back on. Seeing that made my eyes start to sting and water. I blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop it.

"I'm gonna miss you boys. I hope I can see you all again someday."

We both smiled a sorrowful smile and the guards led us out of the house and into the car.

I stared out the window and silently cried the whole way to the spaceship yard.

When I first arrived on Mars, I would have never thought I would be sad about leaving and going home. I would have never thought that I would find my mom either but I did, and she was coming home with us. It all felt so surreal in the moment. Like I was just in a dream and at any moment I was going to wake up and it would all be gone. Just a figment of my imagination but it wasn't. It was real. I lived it.

When we reached the spaceship yard, Xena was there to say goodbye to us. My mom was also there with her luggage in hand.. Once we all got our luggage on the ship Andrew and I made sure to give Xena a big, long hug.

"Thank you for everything Xena." I said when I hugged her. "I'm glad I became friends with you."

"Me too, Quinn, me too." She said, her voice cracking.

Once we said our goodbyes, Xena said goodbye to my mom, and then we had to board the ship. I buckled myself in and looked out the window.
As we were leaving we waved bye to Xena and watched Mars slowly fade into the distance, until there was nothing left but the memories we made there. We watched as she got smaller and smaller until we couldn't see her anymore and there was nothing but space. I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair.

I couldn't believe it.

We were finally on our way home.

. . .

I spent most of the flight home sleeping and dreaming about the fun times we had on Mars. I woke up a few times, but for the most part, stayed asleep. The next time I woke up, we were home. I unbuckled and grabbed my luggage off the ship. After we had all done that, we thanked the pilot, and exited the ship. We all watched as the ship flew off into the distance. The pilot had dropped us off near my house and Andrew's, so we didn't have to walk far before we reached my house. When we got to the doorstep of my house, I put down my luggage and gave Andrew a hug.

"Thanks for the adventure." I told him.

"Anytime." He said, a smile on his face.

Andrew waved 'bye' and made his way to his house.

I looked at my mom and asked, "You ready?"

She smiled and nodded. My mom rang the doorbell and we waited for my dad to answer. No one answered the first time so she rang it again. The second time, we saw the light turn on and saw my dad walk up to the door. He opened it and ran a hand over his face.

"Who–" He said before he finally saw who it was. I watched as his eyes fell on me. "Quinn."

I smiled, "Dad."

My dad then set his eyes on my mom.

"Tasha?" He whispered.

She nodded and opened her arms. I watched him take a few unsteady breaths, his face a mixture of joy and grief. He completely unraveled and fell into her. My dad finally released all the pain and sorrow that he tried so hard to suppress since she had been gone. Tears continuously rolled down his cheeks and his whole body shook with his sobs. My mom held my dad and I could tell it meant everything to her to hold him again. Tears of love and relief streamed from her eyes as she held him.

"I missed you so much." My dad said quietly.

"I know. I know. I missed you too." My mom said.

My dad opened his arms and made space for me. I joined in on the hug and it was one of the best moments ever.

We were finally all together again.

As a family.